Cassandra "Cassy" R. Davis '01

One High-Jumping, Lightning-Fast Student Athlete

As an Upper School student, Cassy R. Davis ’01 earned an overwhelming number of Track and Field accolades. Director of Athletics Kevin Miller emphasized that Davis “redefined Track and Field excellence in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL).” She is without a doubt the most decorated student-athlete in WT’s history. By the time she graduated from WT in 2001, she was a five-time WPIAL Champion and five-time Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) State Champion.

Record-Breaking Wins

During Davis’ sophomore year she qualified for four events in the WPIAL class AA. In both the 100-meter hurdles and long jump, she ran and jumped her way to first place. Davis’ lightning speed earned her second place in the 200-meter dash, while high-flying jumps landed her in a third place finish in the 300-meter hurdles. On top of her WPIAL success, she took first place in the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump, and second place in the 200-meter dash, in the PIAA class AA.

Davis was unstoppable the next year, with two more first place wins in the WPIAL class AA for the 100-meter hurdles and long jump events. Her long jump win even set a WPIAL record. Davis also took first in the 110-meter hurdles in the PIAA class AA, and set a PIAA record in the long jump. In her senior season, she earned first place in the long jump for both the WPIAL class AA and the PIAA class AA. On a quest for ongoing success, Davis broke the record she had previously set in the WPIAL class AA long jump, raising the bar even higher for future competitors.

The Most-Decorated Bear

In addition to her WPIAL and PIAA honors, Davis received many other accolades for her Track and Field excellence. She was named a three-time USA Track & Field Jr. All-American, a two-time Track and Field News All-American, and was a Region II Long Jump record holder. In 2000, Davis won the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Athlete of the Year the Pennsylvania Gatorade Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and was the Golden West Long Jump Champion. In 2001, Davis was named the Pennsylvania Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year again and was named to the Adidas Outdoor Championships/American Track and Field Magazine All-American Team.

Her athletics success inspired an annual award recognizing exceptional student-athletes. The Cassy Richards Award is presented to a student-athlete of strong character who has competed successfully at the highest athletic levels possible and has represented Winchester Thurston School positively throughout the community, the region, the country, or the world.